


When Jack Goes Missing

by allinall



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-26 15:06:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13238292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allinall/pseuds/allinall
Summary: Jack should've been back several hours ago and the boys fear the worse.





	When Jack Goes Missing

Katherine walked down the street, officially in the “lower class” territory. It was a walk she took nightly, on her way to visit the boys. And by the boys, she mostly means Jack. It was nearing 6pm and while there were still a few newsies out selling their remaining papes, she knew that Jack would’ve returned to the lodging house hours ago.

Frankly, his timing was impressive. Jack always took double what the others did and somehow managed to always finish with plenty of time to spare. So, when Katherine walked in and was met with a paparazzi-worthy interrogation from the boys, she was a little taken back.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Katherine said, holding her hand up to stop the slew of questions, “Slow down. What do you mean you can’t find Jack?”

Crutchie pushed his way to the front of the crowd, “They means that Jack shoulda been back by now but he aint and we’s worried. We thought maybe he was with you’s but- “ His voice faded and she wrapped an arm around Crutchie’s shoulders. It was kind of cute how lost they all were without their fearless leader.

“Ok when is the last time you saw him?” She asked no one in particular.

Specs answered, “Henry fell and hurt his arm today while sellin,” he gestured behind him where Katherine saw a teary-eyed Henry with a sling wrapped around his arm, “So Jack told me to come back and patch him up, he took the last of my papers and went to sell em.”

“But there weren’t many!” Race exclaimed, “Only a few- like twenty or somethin. And Jack’s been gone hours now!”

“Ok, ok,” Katherine said, calming the boys as they all started talking at once again. “Well let’s not get too worked up and let’s think. Where could he be?”

“Santa Fe,” A couple newsies mumbled. This put all the boys on edge now, some screaming in Jack’s defense, other’s screaming that Jack abandoned them.

“Hey!” Katherine yelled, drawing all the attention back to her, “Jack wouldn’t leave you guys. At least not without saying goodbye and you all know that! He hasn’t abandoned you or me or anyone, ok?”

Reluctantly and somewhat sadly they all gave her a nod, knowing that she wasn’t lying. Jack wouldn’t just pack up and leave. Not after the strike. Not after Katherine.

“Specs you know Jack’s sellin route, right?” Race asked, happy to receive a nod back, “Ok so how abouts we split up. Elmer and Romeo, you stay here, watch after the littles, everyone else go with Specs ‘ere and hit all his usual spots. Katherine, Crutch and I will hit round here.”

Everyone had their assignments and as they’re all about to leave Specs turns to Race, Katherine and Crutchie. “If yous finds him, put a couple papes up on the penthouse, enough that we can see it from the streets, if we don’t find him by then I’m just gonna take the fellas to Brooklyn. Spot will help.”

Crutchie’s face falls and he looks up at Katherine, worry etched across all of his features. Race gives Specs a friendly go-get-em punch in the arm and soon the lodging house is empty. It’s then that Katherine realizes these boys really are just that. Boys. Kids.

They head outside and start walking the back streets of Manhattan, a place they might be very comfortable with, but it still put Katherine on edge. This is where all the horror stories she heard growing up took place.

“Racer?” Crutchie’s voice cracked, surprising Katherine with the sudden vulnerability of the always optimistic happy boy.

Race shook his head, “Don’t think like that Crutch.”

“What?” Katherine asked, suddenly scared she was missing a vital piece of information of Jack’s sudden disappearance.

“Jackie boy,” Race started, turning each corner, weaving through the stinking streets of Manhattan. Katherine had to increase her pace just to stay in arms distance of him, “He’s still wanted... by the bulls I mean. Lots of people aint been too happy about him leading the strike.”

“But the refuge shut down! Snyder can’t get him!” Katherine exclaimed.

“That don’t matter much,” Crutchie informed her, “Not when they hate yous so much. They wouldn’t even arrest him. Pro’ally just kill him.”

“What? That doesn’t make any sense! Why didn’t he tell me!” Katherine was enraged.

There were people out to kill Jack and he didn’t say a word to her.

Race came to a sudden stop and Katherine slammed into his back. “Jack?”

Race asked softly, holding his hand out, telling them to stay back. He took slow, cautious steps towards the wall. Then Katherine saw it. The figure slumped over against the dumpster.

“Oh, my god Jack!” Katherine yelled, running up to him.

“Wait Katherine!” Crutchie yelled after her, but she couldn’t care less. She knew Jack anywhere; even unconscious and bleeding, she knew. She reached her hands out to him, when Race stopped her, firmly gripping both of her wrists and holding her back.

“What are you doing?!” She screamed and tried to wriggle out of his grasp. “Katherine!” Race yelled, pulling her down in front of him, “You can’t touch him. Not yet. He won’t be right at first.”

“Won’t be right? Are you crazy? Of course, he’s not okay, look at him!”

Katherine continued to struggle, but stopped when Crutchie put his arm around her shoulders much like she did to him earlier, she calmed down.

“He means not right in the head. He aint gonna be normal. He’s gonna be really scared.” Crutchie explained to her, while Race made his way over to the injured Jack.

Then it all made sense. She knew Jack had nightmares about the refuge, it had happened several times when one of them had “accidently” stayed the night at the others place. She learned the hard way to wait a few minutes after a nightmare, before touching Jack. But it was worse than just nightmares, at least after this it will be. Katherine sat back, not caring that she was getting her dress dirty, and watched Race work.

First, he gingerly and quietly put his hand in front of Jacks nose, giving them a thumbs up to show that he was indeed, breathing. Then he took about 3 large steps back and started calling Jack’s name. Quiet at first, but he grew gradually louder, never losing the tenderness in his voice, so he wouldn’t scare Jack.

It was a voice she’d never heard Race use before, so used to his gruff New York accent, she thought the soft voice suited him.

Slowly but surely, Jack stirred and moved, his face contorting in pain as he did. Katherine and Crutchie looked on with sympathy.

“How does he know how to do that?” Katherine whispered to Crutchie.

“Race and Jack were in the refuge together,” Crutchie replied, shushing her for any follow ups. That made sense. It was obvious to anyone that Crutchie was Jack’s best friend, but Race and him always did have an unspoken bond that she didn’t notice he had with any of the other newsies.

It was all starting to make sense to her now. They were all startled by a large gasp as Jack came to, pushing himself farther against the wall, eyes wide with fear. Race bent down to his level and with his hands raised in a whisper he reassured Jack who he was and that he wasn’t going to hurt him.

“Racer?” Jack said, voice higher that Katherine has heard it before, and even with that one word it cracked pitifully.

“Yeah buddy it’s me,” Race said, putting his hands down to his sides,

“I’m gonna come sit next to ya is that okay?” When he received the nod from Jack, Race slowly made his way over and sat against the wall similar to Jack’s position, but a good 3 feet to the right. Silence followed as Race waited for Jack to compose himself. Jack moved slowly and painfully, until his back was flat against the wall behind him, knees pulled to his chest, elbows resting on his knees. His head was tilted back looking up at the sky.

A few deep breaths later Race said, “Anything broke?”

Jack nodded no.

“Yous sure ‘bout that?” Race double checked.

Jack nodded yes.

“Ok,” Race started, his voice still very slow and tender, “Crutchie is here with me. Katherine too.”

This got Jack’s attention and he pulled his head away from the wall, looking over to his 3 best friends. He gave them a weak smile before returning to his previous position on the wall.

“Jack buddy look at me,” Race said and Jack did as he was told, “Your hand is bleeding pretty bad, can I touch you just to clean it up?”

Jack pondered for a moment, looking between his hand and Race, before nodding yes.

Crutchie brought an old shirt out of his paper bag and handed it to Race, before ripping a strip of it off to tie around Jack’s hand. Jack grunted with pain as he did so. Race finished quickly, then scooted himself closer to Jack, slowly, making sure he was comfortable with Race moving close.

Jack stiffened at first, but soon relaxed, leaning heavily on Race, struggling to stay awake. “Did your head get knocked around too bad?” Race asked, moving his own head to look at the back of Jacks. It was matted with blood.

“I’m,” Jack said, choking on the words, “I’m fine Race. Promise.”

Race gave him a light smile and a sarcastic reply, “Ya sure you is.”

“Jack?” Crutchie asked, hesitantly moving towards his best friend. His brother.

“Heya Crutch,” Jack said, still weak, “Come ‘ere. Help me up.”

Jack grunted and held out his hand, Crutch pulling him up and Race steading him with Jack’s other arm.

“Oh, don’t look at me like that,” Jack complained, “I’ve had worse, I’m fine.”

Jack went to take a step, before near falling over, Race just barely catching him.

“Last time I checked, ‘fine’ doesn’t mean fallin over Jackie.” Race replied, Jack giving him a scowl in return.

“Jack,” Katherine said, assuming it was safe now to approach him. She hated thinking of him as some wounded animal. “What happened to you?”

Jack got his sea legs, choosing to ignore the fact that his arm was wrapped around Race’s shoulder, with Race’s arm wrapped around his waist. He really was the only reason Jack was currently upright.

“Eh it aint nothin,” Jack said, giving her a smile, “I’ve had worse.”

Unfortunately, Katherine didn’t doubt that. She reached up and held his face in her hands, him wincing when her thumb brushed over his black eye.

“That isn’t what I asked.” She said pointedly.

“Who was it?” Crutchie asked, not letting Jack get away with ignoring this. They are probably still out there and Crutchie wasn’t about to let his brother get hurt again, just to protect his pride.

Jack sighed, readjusting in Race’s grip, “A couple of the Spider’s friends. Theys gone now. Left New York. I told yous not to worry and I meant it.”

Crutchie sighed but didn’t pry anymore. “Can you walk?” Race asked.

“Course I can, I told you I’m fine.” Jack replied, starting to sound like a broken record.

He took a few shaky steps before letting go of Race and starting down the street himself.

“See,” Jack said, “I is just fine.”

Race sighed but also starting walking, “Ok fine. But only cause we gotta get back to the boys before they go to Brooklyn.”

“Brooklyn?” Jack asked, stopping in his tracks, “Whatca doin messin with Brooklyn?”

“Yous been missing several hours now,” Race said, “If we couldn’t find ya, we was gonna get help.”

Jack smiled and threw his arm around Race’s shoulder, “Aww Racer yous was worried about me!”

“Nah I just didn’t wanna deal with all them screamin kids all the time, that’s your job.” Race responded with a smile back to him. They were gonna be okay.


End file.
